Ilona Fridl, author of Bronze Skies, Talks Secondary Characters

Introduce your secondary characters.


I have several, but I chose two of my favorites.
Hank Shafer is hero Tom Shafer's cousin. The boys grew up next door to the other and in the theater/restaurant their parents own in Juneau, Alaska Territory. While Tom is in the Army Air Corps, Hank joined the Navy.


The other is Tom's wingman, Ken Edwards from Texas. They become brothers in war.


What do you like/hate most about your secondary characters?


I like both of the characters I chose. Hank, because the Shafer family is a very close knit group and they support each other through all trials. Ken, because he's so different from Tom, but they would do anything in their power to keep each other alive.


On the other side, I have to say a word about my antagonist, Vic Houston, who was obsessed with the heroine, Pam Wright. It's easy to hate him for what he does, but you also end up feeling a little sorry for him, too.


What do the secondary characters think about the hero and heroine?


Hank is as close to Tom as a brother and treats Pam like a member of the family. Ken would never admit it, but he loves Tom as a brother. He only meets Pam once, but he thought she was a “sweet little filly.”


Would you like to share a favorite scene involving the secondary character?


For Hank:
Tom turned to take Pam by the arm, but she shook her head. “I’m going to dance with Hank first. He needs some cheering up.”


Tom pursed his lips. “Okay, but I get the next one.”


She kissed his cheek and made her way over to Hank. Putting her hand on his shoulder, she declared, “Girl’s choice.”


Hank looked up in surprise. “Tom told you, didn’t he?”


“I tortured it out of him. You need to smile again.” Strains of “I Want to be Happy” echoed across the room. “Perfect selection,” Pam said as she pulled him up.


As they stepped out onto the dance floor, Pam laughed. “Mary Jean is a dope to throw over a dreamboat like you. You’ll have plenty of girls to replace her.”


His hazel eyes crinkled at the corners. “Can you be one?”


“If it wasn’t for Tom, I’d be yours in a minute.”


He whirled her around. “Then I’ll have to get rid of him.”


At the end of the song, she cupped his face. “Seriously, if you ever need anyone to talk or write to, I’ll listen or write back.”


Hank kissed her cheek. “Thank you, Pam. I will.”


Tom pushed them apart. “That’s enough of that.”


Hank cocked his eyebrow. “Jealous?”


For Ken:
Tom took a puff of his cigarette and exhaled, watching the smoke curl in the cool May air. Ken joined him outside the barracks, and Tom took the pack and shook one out for his friend. Ken fingered it before he lit it. “Calm before the storm, eh, pardner? What do you think of the new P-38 Lightning?”


Tom paused a moment. “It’s a funny-looking plane, with that split tail, but I think they’re easier to handle. With these orders, though, I want to enjoy today. There may not be another one for me after tomorrow.”


“Ah, come on! The Japs lost a lot of planes on Guadal. I’ll bet we outnumber them ten to one.”


“That’s very optimistic of you. Especially, if they get reinforcements before the battle.”


“Well, it’s up to us to see that doesn’t happen. Just think, you need only one more kill for ace, and I need three. We should make that tomorrow. Those Japs should’ve thought twice before they attacked the good old U.S. of A.”


Dropping the butt in the dirt, Tom put it out with the toe of his boot. “At least we have the country behind us. Our family’s theater always starts the movies with ‘God Bless America.’ They’ve become a main stop for the War Bond tours.”


“When I went home on leave a few months ago, my dad got another contract to sell our cattle to Defense. He says the military gets more of our beef than the family does. Hell, this past summer was the first that he knew of where we didn’t have a steer on a spit for the Fourth of July.”


The two boys were silent for a few moments. Then Tom spoke up. “My family’s theater and your family’s ranch sound good right now.”


Ken put his cigarette out and slapped Tom’s shoulder. “They’re who we’re fighting for. Let’s go in and get some grub.”


Are the secondary characters going to get their own story?


All I can say right now is “maybe.” I did fall in love with Hank, so I might do right by him eventually.


Thank you, Emma, for letting me guest on your blog!


Come see reviews and excerpts at http://www.ilonafridl.com I'm on Facebook and Goodreads.

Michele Hart, author of Vigilant

Thank you, Emma, for inviting me to your blog. I thought a visit to your blog was important enough for chocolate, so I am under the influence of dark Swiss chocolate and probably more of it than I deserve. :-)

Vigilant

One surviving hijacker is charged with the murders of a hundred citizens.

One cop sees her innocence.

            Alliance I-Marshal Weber hauls Yadira to her home planet and infiltrates the human-trafficking ring controlling her. But he finds himself unbearably attracted to his witness. A gift for detecting deception reveals she’s the next victim of a criminal industry.

            Descending into shadowy worlds of slavery, Yadira endures a dark angel stalking her dreams and watches the quiet I-Marshal become dangerous in her defense. Everything about him moves her…except the memory of seeing him execute the most important man in her life. Shouldn’t she take vengeance? Delusions of a heavenly guardian affect her mind.

            Slavers and demons plan to snatch her from Weber’s custody while he is uncovering connections, and Weber won’t hesitate to execute the guilty surrounding Yadira. Who but a son of fire can save her from fiends harboring hardcore fantasies of harming her?

How are your story ideas born?

My stories usually originate in science. I’ll discover some speculative technology that fascinates me (most of them do!) and I imagine the people who would work with it. I do as much research as possible, and that usually gives me the first several scenes. Then it’s on! I’m a pantser, so I get to ride the roller coaster, too.

My latest release, Vigilant, features an interstellar teleport, the abominable crime of human trafficking, and what that might look like in a multiple-planet situation. The heroine Yadira loses her protector on a planet where she’s the most valuable catch, and that opens her to being trafficked on the black market. Living her darkest moment, she’s arrested by an I-Marshal named Weber who sees auras, reads intent, and can spot demons in the mix of evil Of course, Yadira falls for the big, handsome, supernatural cop, even though he’d just killed the most important man in her life. Weber can’t take his eyes—or hands—off her, though it could cost him his life to save her from monsters, human and subhuman. Angels and demons and lasers, oh my!

How many works in progress do you have?

I never write more than one story at a time. It’s a juggling act to stop writing one and edit the previous story for my publisher I couldn’t imagine throwing one more chainsaw into that. But I do have several projects awaiting their turn, two more I-Marshal stories after Vigilant, an unrelated novel, at least two new fantasy short stories. I’m probably going to sell a few more shape-shifter stories I wrote long ago. I’ve got a lot coming down the pipeline.

What writing mechanic challenges you?

I’ve committed occasional misdemeanors of repetition, but I can’t think of anything else for which I’m consistently corrected. My editor would say I’d gone ellipsis-bonkers this time around. I agreed, once pointed out. I’m on ellipsis restriction now.

What’s your favorite part of the writing process?

The frenzy. I love the frenzy where I see the scene so clearly and it’s just bursting to come out. That’s where the late nights come from. I love the character development, too.

What’s your least favorite part of the writing process?

It’s the lulls. In the fervor of writing the story, I encounter lulls where the story doesn’t come easily. It’s my brain’s way of enforcing rest. But it’s a frightening moment for a pantser. The story will come back if I just rest. It’s hard for me to do that.

How long did it take to write your latest release?

Two and a half to three months. Vigilant is a big book and a big adventure.

Do you have a favorite line or scene from your story?

I loved every time Weber removed Yadira from the traffickers’ hands. He always did it in a big way, overwhelming firepower, neat technology, or his own mean fists. I loved every time he denied them possession of her, even though doing so cost his investigation a lot. I loved how Weber didn’t want to say good-bye to Yadira for just a few days, so he could do his job. And I loved the love scenes with a man who can read auras. :-)

Visit me @ my web site: http://www.ILoveShapeShifters.com/

Please join me and many other hot authors on this coming Thursday July 14th on the sizzling Summer Love-In One-Day Event for chats, free e-books, contests. Historicals, Contemporaries, Paranormals, and Futuristics! We have something for every taste. Come feel the sexy summer heat at the Summer Love-In!  http://groups.yahoo.com/group/summerlove-in/

Thank you, Emma, for lending me your wonderful audience.

Happy summertime reading to all!

Read and live an adventure!

Michele Hart

Paranormal/Sci-Fi Romance Author
~ Walk Another World ~ http://www.ILoveShapeShifters.com/

 What do you do when you can't throw someone down a flight of stairs? Write a story about it.
Siren-BookStrand * VIGILANT * GANGBUSTERS coming soon
Siren-BookStrand * LUMINOUS NIGHTS - a 2011 Golden Quill Contest finalist/Best Sci-Fi!
Siren-BookStrand * LOOKS ARE DECEIVING * MIND-BLOWN
The Wild Rose Press * NO FUNNY STUFF! * All Romance e-Books * ZERO-G

Read more of Vigilant! You don’t have to wait.

Discover cool excerpts, check out the great reviews, watch a mysterious book trailer at:

http://www.michelehart.com/b27-book.htm

Read the First Chapter of Vigilant:

http://dreneebagbypresentsfirstchapters.blogspotcom/2011/05/vigilant-by-michele-hart.html

Vigilant

by Michele Hart

Buy Link: http://www.BookStrand.com/vigilant

ISBN#: e-Book 1-61034-396-4 * Print 1-61034-682-3

Available @ BookStrand, Amazon, B&N, everywhere exciting stories are waiting for you!

Margaret Ethridge Names Her Ten Temptations

Material: cashmere, silk, cotton or denim? Cotton. There’s nothing better than slipping between freshly washed cotton sheets.

Hair length: long, shoulder, shaggy, short or bald? I have a shoulder-length Mom-Bob.

Eye color: brown, blue, green or hazel? Blue

Performing arts: 0pera, ballet, Broadway or symphony? Broadway

Jewelry: diamonds, pearls, jade or rhinestones? Pearls. I like my jewelry simple and classic.

Flowers: orchids, roses, lilies or daisies? Lilies.

Alcoholic beverage: Champagne, wine, whisky or beer? I am a beer girl.

Non-alcoholic beverage: coffee, tea, soda or water? Diet Coke – and lots of it.

Favorite snack: popcorn, chips, cookies or candy? Chips! No, popcorn. Are crackers an option? Hell, just give me a salt lick, and I’m happy.

Weather: sunny, cloudy or rainy? Sunny. I don’t like to get wet.

I guess my answers show that I’m just your everyday, ordinary semi-suburban mom. Like my heroine, Tracy Sullivan,  I spend my days toiling away in a bland office, and my evening fighting a constant battle against my laundry hampers.

My husband is a great guy, my kids are happy and well-adjusted, and my house rabbit thinks I’m a right broad. But like Tracy, I too have those moments when I stop, look around, and wonder, ‘Is this all there is?’

Contentment is a story about the doubts that niggle at the back of your mind, the petty resentments that build and build, trusting our choices, appreciating what we have, and choosing to be happy.

This is an After Happily Ever story. It takes place long after Tracy and Sean have come down from the heady rush of first love. This is a story about the constant juggling act we perform with marriage, children, and careers. It’s about hanging on to a little piece of yourself when your hopes and dreams seem to have evaporated. Each one of us have felt it… that little moment when you look at your significant other and wonder What the hell was I thinking?

Marriage isn’t easy. Keeping a marriage alive takes work – and enough self-restraint to keep from clubbing your spouse with a cast iron skillet.

Some days are better than others. Today, I happen to think my husband is the handsomest, funniest man on the planet. Tomorrow he may have reason to fear his pillow.

What kind of a day are you having? Comment below and tell me if you were dressed by small woodland creatures this morning, or if we should hide the knife block.  Thanks for reading, and I hope you’ll give Contentment a shot!

www.margaretethridge.com

Contentment

Tracy Sullivan seems to have it all, a handsome, devoted husband, three beautiful children, a steady career, and the perfect suburban home; but she isn’t happy.

The petty resentments that have built over fifteen years of marriage surface when Tracy tells her husband, Sean, that she is no longer interested in sex, and their marriage threatens to implode.

For the sake of their children, Tracy and Sean agree to lead separate lives under the same roof. With the help of a healthy dose of adult-rated fiction and some gentle prodding from a good friend, Tracy begins to rediscover who she is, what she wants, and the reasons she fell for Sean once upon a time.

After two years of soul-searching, Tracy is finally ready to embrace her happily ever after having learned that while happiness may be fleeting, contentment can last a lifetime.

Rhonda Lee Carver Names Her Ten Temptations

Material: cashmere, silk, cotton or denim? All of the above. Every material has its occasion J

Hair length: long, shoulder, shaggy, short or bald? On me, certainly not bald…lol. I keep mine long. On a man? I like it short or bald.

Eye color: brown, blue, green or hazel? Mine? Blue. Don’t mind on a man as long as there is a twinkle.

Performing arts: 0pera, ballet, Broadway or symphony?

Does the movie theater count?

Jewelry: diamonds, pearls, jade or rhinestones? Jade

Flowers: orchids, roses, lilies or daisies? I have to add my own…Jasmine

Alcoholic beverage: Champagne, wine, whisky or beer? Depends on the mood. Champagne—Celebration. Wine—romance. Whisky—Who the f*%$ stepped on my toes today? Beer—Goes with pizza and a good time.

Non-alcoholic beverage: coffee, tea, soda or water? Gotta have my coffee first thing in the morning. After that, water and tea.

Favorite snack: popcorn, chips, cookies or candy? Chocolate, chocolate, chocolate…did I mention chocolate? Especially Nutella or S’Mores.

Weather: sunny, cloudy or rainy? I need the sunshine. I love the beach, the water and the heat of the sun.

Suffering from years of hopeless romantic notions and sexy, sassy heroines and bad-ass heroes taking up residence in her mind, Rhonda decided to write and bring the stories to life. With baby on hip and laptop on the other--and two years later--Rhonda has published five eBooks with a handful of spicy love stories waiting for the final touches.

When Rhonda isn’t crafting edge-of-your-seat, sizzling-ink novels, you will find her with her children, watching soccer, watching a breathtaking movie, doing (or trying) yoga, and finding new ways to keep her smile bright.

Rhonda thrives on making her readers happy. She believes everyone deserves romance--one page at a time…

EXCERPT:

Dee didn’t look at him. He couldn’t look at her, either. He’d lived with the weight of shame, embarrassment and pain for years. He’d done a good job molding those emotions into something more useful, more productive: anger. The latter was far better than sorrow. Abe had convinced himself of her faults long ago. He wouldn’t allow her to unravel him again.

“You’re not welcome here, Dee.”

She set her bottle on the floor. It fell onto its side. Beer spilled out in a foamy puddle; both ignored it.

Tension enveloped him. What would she say?

“Let’s get past that, Abe. The reality is, Jacob wanted me here. I don’t know why he did, but I trusted him.”

He smirked. “You don’t belong here. Did you change your clothes to prove a point to yourself, or just to impress me?”

One thin brow curved in challenge. “It’d make you happy to think I was trying to impress you.”

“No.” He wrinkled his nose. “No, it wouldn’t.” He dropped his feet to the floor with a thud.

“Oh, forgive me.” Her tone teetered on mockery. “You’re into engaged women, right? I’m only a single girl now.”

Her bitter words hit home, striking as hard as a blow to the gut. He rose so quickly she stumbled back. He stalked toward her. Agitated, the horses kicked at the doors of their stalls as if they shared his tension.

Her lips trembled. “Did I touch a sensitive chord?”

Chord? Hell, she’d unleashed a flood. He caught her wrist in a solid grip. He didn’t want to hurt her, but he dragged her close and bent low to her ear. “You wanna stay?” His voice was dangerously low. “Stay. But don’t cross my path, or I’ll throw your ass off my farm quicker than you can throw Jacob’s name in my face again. Ownership rights or no ownership rights, that’s my word. Got it?”

She tilted her head back and looked up at him. Her face was devoid of emotion, but the damp mist in her eyes made her a liar. “Got it,” she whispered.

He dropped her wrist and pivoted on his heel, heading for the exit.

Her shaky voice stopped him. “I know you, Abe, probably better than Jacob did. If I didn’t already realize you’re a kind man, I’d run as far away from you as I could. You’re angry and you’re feeling guilty. I know, because I feel the same. I’ve dealt with those same emotions since Jacob died. You may hate me and I don’t know if I still...if I like you much either, but we share one thing. We both lost someone we loved.”

He kept his back to her, but as the last word left her lips he nearly fled outside. Sucking in fresh air, he shoved his hands into his pockets. Damn it. Damn her.

She’d leave...eventually.

buy link: 
http://www.lyricalpress.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=81&products_id=348

 

facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000265604936#!/profile.php?id=100000265604936

 

author page: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000265604936#!/pages/Rhonda-Lee-Carver-Author/155568577811615

 

blogger: http://rhondaleecarver-author.blogspot.com/

Alison Henderson, author of A Man Like That and Harvest of Dreams

Secondary Characters – Love them or Hate Them

Thanks so much, Emma and friends, for inviting me to talk about secondary characters.  I love writing secondary characters!  They can be so much fun; sometimes it’s hard to prevent them from hijacking the story.  I try to keep my heroes and heroines grounded and believable so readers can empathize and relate to them, but secondary characters can be a bit more “over the top”.  They are often staunch supporters of the main characters, but they can also be outrageously funny or intriguingly quirky.  In smaller doses, secondary characters add the spice.

My western historical romances, Harvest of Dreams and A Man Like That are family dramas, so many of the secondary characters are family members.  In Harvest of Dreams, I particularly enjoyed writing the heroine’s mother.  Martha is practical, wise, and knowing—all characteristics I could relate to as a mother.  (Isn’t it a shame how seldom our children appreciate our wisdom when they need it most?)  I also loved writing Eliza, the heroine’s nasty nemesis.  Her catty dialogue was a sheer delight and gave the heroine the opportunity to show her wit.

My latest book, A Man Like That, is the sequel and follows one of the secondary characters from Harvest of Dreams on her own journey deep into the Ozark Mountains.  I hadn’t originally intended to write a sequel, but the characters took over and left me no choice.  Jessamine Randall was the heroine’s feisty best friend in the first story, but she had such an engaging personality that I had to let her have her own book.

The most significant secondary characters in A Man Like That are the hero’s family—his mother, younger sister, brother, sister-in-law, and nephew.  They are all serious characters struggling with their own challenges and tragedies.  For fun, I added Zeke—a mountain of a man with a soft spot for the heroine.  I firmly believe that a little dialect goes a long way in dialogue, but I let Zeke add enough Ozark flavor to connect the story to its time and place in the reader’s mind.

Here’s a blurb about the story:

Jessamine Randall, fearless crusader and champion of the downtrodden, is not a woman to be left waiting at the altar.  When her fiancé disappears hours before their wedding, the ever-resourceful Jessy hatches a plan to track him down and bring him back where he belongs.

Morgan Bingham knows he’s no good.  Never has been.  Never will be.  A former outlaw is no fit husband for the only daughter of the town judge, despite her misguided notions.  Besides, after ten long years away from home, it’s time to return to the hills and face his demons.

Ill-prepared, but armed with unshakeable certainty, Jessy follows Morgan to his family’s cabin deep in the Ozark Mountains where she’s sucked into a whirlpool of deep secrets and old hatreds.  While she struggles to bring light and hope into their dark lives, her greatest challenge is Morgan himself.   Can she ever convince him he’s worthy of love?

What do you like to see in secondary characters? 

I’d be delighted to send one lucky commenter a pdf of the book so you can meet Zeke and all the other colorful characters in A Man Like That.  For more info and buy links, I invite everyone to visit me on the web at www.alisonhenderson.com.

Anne Whitfield, author of The House of Women

How are your story ideas born?

My story ideas are born from all sorts of sources. Usually when I’m doing something mundane, like ironing or washing the floor, etc, and ideas will come into my head then. Sometimes they might come from researching. I might be flipping through my research books and I’ll see something interesting that leads to ideas for a story.

How many works in progress do you have?

At the moment I’m just starting a new historical women’s novel set in Victorian Yorkshire again. It’s my favourite time and place. I feel comfortable writing it. This will be book number 14.

I recently finished the first draft of another story.

What is your writing process?

I simply open a blank page and allow the story idea to flow. I like to write when it is quiet, the house is peaceful and everyone is out.

What writing mechanic challenges you?

Probably grammar. I suck at it!

What’s your favorite part of the writing process?
The beginning. I love writing the first three chapters, weaving everyone in and getting to know them.

What’s your least favorite part of the writing process?

The least part I like is editing when the book is finished and I have ideas for a new story that are begging to get out. Once a book is written Im eager to start something new, but I know editing is important!

How long did it take to write your latest release?

My novels, especially my historical novels usually take about 6 months to write. Sometimes it depends on what is happening in my life at the time. I try to make 6 months as my goal. But it doesn’t always happen.

Do you have a favorite line or scene from your story?

From The House of Women there are many scenes which really grab me, but I think the ending is one of the best, where Grace finally accepts what is best for her and acts on it.

The House of Women

Historical women’s fiction/romance

Blurb:

In The House of Women, Grace is the eldest of seven sisters, is the pivot upon which the family revolves. She is the buffer between her violent father and her sisters, who look to her for guidance. As Grace tries to hold them together through times of hardship and humiliation, her own secret love, William Ross rejects her. Thankfully another man, Doyle gives Grace the calm support she has been missing. Only, their subtle attraction creates more disturbance. When shocking events occur, Grace makes decisions that will affect everyone’s future, which sets sister against sister, mother against daughter. As her life crashes into chaos with scandal, near bankruptcy and murder, a coalmine disaster brings Grace into contact with an introverted miner. His cool reserve makes Grace take notice.  This man is dismissive of her station and evokes an image of a life much simpler.

Amazon USA 

Thanks so much for having me!